Oxygen breathing implement, particularly for aeronauts



Aug, 4, 1931.

o. H. ommsvzw OXYGEN BREATHING IMPLEMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR AERQN AUTS Filed Feb. 5, 1929 Fig.1.

Ill/elder Patented Aug. 4, 1931 o'rro HEINRICH DEAGEE, or LUBECK, GER-MANY oXYeEE BREATHING IMPLEMENT,

Application filed February 5, 1929, Serial No'.

Breathing devices used by aviators are well known. It is requisite that they be constructed so asto permit the admission into the device of air from the atmosphere to be breathed by the aviator in addition to the oxygen supplied by the device itself.-

It has been found extremely ditiicult to ad- "mit'air fromthe outside in proper quantities so as to provide the aviator withthe requisite amount to be breathed with the oxygen sup- :plied by the device itself.

Heretofore thishas been accomplished, but imperfectly, by masks which fit but loosely against the face orby masks having apertures 5 therein, the said apertures being adjustable as to size. In devices of the type just mentioned, especially where a spare bag is used, the breathing device is first emptied by breathing. This is done to secure, especially at great heights, enough air from the atmosphere so as to permit a sufficient quantity of gas for filling the lungs, while the requisite amount of oxygen proper for the lungs is supplied by the breathing device itself. An

imperfect fit of a mask, or a mask with apertures therein, does notfurnish air in the requisite amounts at great heights.

Another serious difficulty is that in devices of this type which are provided with inhaling and exhaling valves, saliva enters the valves and freezes therein at great heights, thereby rendering the valves inoperative.

The present invention both makes possible the securing of the requisite amount of air from the atmosphere and also prevents any valve from becoming inoperative due to freezing of saliva. The inhaling and exhaling valves are positioned on opposite ends of a U-shaped tube, the valve-ends of said tube extending upwards. A breathing conduit is connected to said U-shaped tube at the inner curvature thereof. This breathing conduit may be comprised of a main pipe and a branch pipe, the main pipe connecting with the U-shaped tube at the inner curvature thereof and the branch pipe connecting with said main pipe at a point below the valves and above the point of connection of the main pipe and the U-shaped tube. The branch pipe extends outward and downward from the PARTICULARLY FOR AERONAUTS 337,691, and in Germany February 21, 1928.

main pipe and is positioned in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the U-shaped tube.

The device forms a complete valve unit.

The free ends of the breathing conduit, or as shown, the free ends of the main pipe and branch pipe are adapted to connect with a hose so that the complete valve unit may be inserted into a breathing hose of an oxygen supp)lying apparatus (not shown in the drawings Fig. 1 of the drawings is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 is a side view of a construction of the device shown by way of ex ample.

The device asshown comprises a substantially U-shaped tube 3. This tube is provided at each upwardly directed end with a shank i, 5. The shank 4 is provided with a non-return valve comprising a cap 6 screwed on to the shank and having an opening 7 therein. WVithin the shank i is a yoke 10 which supports a spring 9 which presses against a valve plate 8. The valve 8 is opened inwardly against the action of the spring 9, the pressure of said spring preferably being adjustable.

The shank 5 at the opposite end of the .U- shaped tube is provided with an .exhaling valvewhich is comprised of a cap 11 having" an opening 12, a plate or valve 13 and an annular seat '14.

A breathingconduit comprised,.as shown, of pipes 1 and 16 is connected at 2 into the inner curvature of the bent portion of :the 1 substantially U-shaped tube. The pipe 16 of the breathing conduit is shown branching from pipe '1 and being positioned in a plane substantially at right angles to the aforesaid U-shaped member. The free end of the pipe 16 of the breathing conduit is adapted to connect witha hoseof the oxygen supplying apparatus (not shown). The free end of pipe 1 is adapted to connectwith the main hose ofthe oxygen supplying apparatus so that thedevice described as a unit .is

connected in the-oxygen supplying hose.

The air breathed oscillates between the pipes Land 16 through the opening at 15'.

Theinner curvature or central portiomof' the U-shaped tube 3 is always lower than the opening 15 and below the valves at the ends of the U-shaped tub-c. 'll s lower portion of the U-shaped tube tlnis serves as a saliva trap, the valves alwi positioned above the point where the conduit pipe is connected to the il-shaped tube.

Air from the atmosphere is inhaled due to the following action. At the beginning 01 every breath only the exhalin valve 13, 14: is in use. At the end o1" each breath a. partial vacuum or sub-pressure is created after previously emptying the air reservoir or breathing bag. Due to this partial vacuum the atmospheric pressure on the valve plate 8 from the outside is greater than the art-ion of the spring 9 pressing ainat the inner surface of th plate and thus the vz l e plate is moved (lo".vn\v2nds, permittin/ air from the outside to enter the device and to be inhalcd.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and des to secure by Letters Patent in the United Mites as follows:

I claim:

1. In an oxygen breathing apparatus, a breathing conduit, a substantially U-shaped tube having its ends extending upwards, an inhaling valve positioned in one end of said U-shaped tube, an exhaling valve being positioned in the other end of the U-shaped tube,

the aforesaid breathing conduit connecting with said U-shaped tube at a point thereon below said valves.

2. In an oxygen breathing apparatus, a breathing conduit, a substantially U-shaped tube having its ends extending upwards, an inhaling valve positioned in one end of said U-shaped tube, an exhaling valve being positioned in the other end of said U-shaped tube,

the aforesaid breathing conduit connecting with said U-shaped tube at a point thereon below said valves, the free ends of said breathing conduit adapted to connect with a hose, whereby the complete unit may be connectcd to a hose from an oxygen supplying apparatus.

3. In an oxygen breathing apparatus, a breathing conduit, 21 substantially U-shaped tube having its ends extending upwards, an inhaling valve positioned in one end of said U-shaped tube, an exhaling valve being positioned in the other end of said U-shaped tube, the aforesaid breathing conduit connecting with said U-shaped tube at a point thereon below said valves, the free ends of said breathing conduit adapted to connect with a hose, whereby the complete unit may be connected to a hose from an oxygen supplying apparatus, said inhaling valve actuating against resistance, when due to the insut ficient admission of oxygen within the device a sub-pressure or vacuum is created therein.

4. In an oxygen breathing apparatus, a U-shaped tube having its ends extending upwards, an inhaling valve positioned in one end of the U-shaped tube, an exhaling valve positioned in the other end of said U-shaped tube, a breathing conduit comprising a pipe connecting with said U-shaped tube at a point substantially at the central portion of the inner curvature of said U-shaped tube and a branch pipe positioned in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the U- shaped tube and connected with said first pipe at a point below said valves and above the point at which said first pipe connects with aid U-shaped tube.

5. In a valve unit for an oxygen breathing apparatus, a substantially U-shaped tube with its ends extending upward, a breathing conduit connected with said U-shaped tube substantially at the center thereof, an exhaling valve positioned in one end of said U- shaped tube, an inhaling valve positioned in the other end of said U-shaped tube, said inhaling valve comprising an opening, a valve plate to cover said opening, an adjustable spring for actuating said valve plate against said opening, whereby air is admitted into the device when a sub-pressure or vacuum is created in the device and the atmospheric pressure on the outer surface of the valve plate is greater than the force of the sprin In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

DR. OTTO HEINRICH DRAGER. 

